


Dinner at the Sickbed

by BuruRaven



Category: Ao no Exorcist | Blue Exorcist
Genre: Canon Compliant Up To Chapter 80, Gen, No Slash, Or Maybe He Just Is An Outstanding Actor, So Is Shima, Yukio Might Be Evil As Well, apples are evil, weird dream
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-15
Updated: 2016-07-15
Packaged: 2018-07-24 06:10:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7497039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BuruRaven/pseuds/BuruRaven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>“So? How will it be? Will you come over to Lucifer-sama’s side?”, Shima asked, impatient.</i><br/>“Yes. I will join the Illuminati.”, Yukio answered with no hesitation.</p><p>You can also find this fic on my tumblr, <a href="http://bururaven.tumblr.com/post/147462023674/dinner-at-the-sickbed">here</a>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dinner at the Sickbed

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own Ao no Exorcist/Blue Exorcist. Ao no Exorcist/Blue Exorcist is the property of Kazue Katō, and is not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this, nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

Two months.

Yukio blankly stared on while the two remaining bunny-shaped apple slices progressively changed into a brownish shade, almost in sync with the dimming sunlight outside. He’d been given pills and one injection… for the pain, for the insomnia… he didn’t know, he didn’t care.

Two months.

 _Hang in there, Yukio_[ _._](http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mangareader.net%2Fao-no-exorcist%2F80%2F23&t=MTg3YzZiODJmYTM1OWJlZDJhZDg0Zjk1MGU3NDQwNDI2YjNmNjNhMSxncmQ0SjBhWQ%3D%3D), the oxidized apple slices seemed to drawl quietly in a painfully mocking version of Rin’s kind words.

Two months.

_But in your condition… you won’t be continuing your suicide training. You should get some advice. For your own good. Or you could just come over… to the **Illuminati**_ [ _._ ](http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mangareader.net%2Fao-no-exorcist%2F80%2F18&t=NDU1ZjgzNjVmZDFjY2EyYjU0MzM5ZTUzZDA3ODViN2ExYThhN2M5MixncmQ0SjBhWQ%3D%3D)

“No”, Yukio whispered to the walls.

_Everyone… carries a burden and cares for others. **But not me. I’m so obsessed with myself that I can’t see anyone else!**  I can’t keep going like this!!! I need a broader vision_ [ _!_ ](http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mangareader.net%2Fao-no-exorcist%2F80%2F35&t=ZjJmNTIzNjc5YjM5YWIxMzhhZDVjNDVkMjA0MThkOTcxZmFkZTcyZixncmQ0SjBhWQ%3D%3D)

_What broader vision?? There is nothing you can do for two whole months, you pitiful wimp. You better just give up._ , the rotting apple hissed, _You’ll always come second, you’ll always be weak-…_

A sudden movement from Yukio’s right leg and shattered cheap porcelain was all that remained of the innocent plate upon which the two nasty apple slices were resting only seconds ago. Yukio released a short sigh of relief.

A soft knock on the door and a head popped in from the corridor, intrusively turning the lights on.

“Okumura-san? Is everything okay? Are you hurt?”, the nurse asked, in a kind, calm tone.

“S-sorry! I-I kicked the table at the feet of the bed and the plate fell… I… er… I’m sorry… I…”

“It’s alright, Okumura-san.”, the nurse said, promptly bending to carefully gather the plate and apple remains, “Don’t worry about this, it’s nothing. You didn’t hurt yourself, so it’s fine, right?”, she said with a smile, straightening up to look at Yukio.

The young patient hesitated a fraction of a second too long.

“Y-yeah…”, he finally let out, almost as if he was making the nurse a question, “I’m sorry to bother you. Thank you.”

“It really isn’t a problem. It’s a pity you can’t eat all of your brother’s cute apple slices, though… Perhaps he’ll bring you more tomorrow!”, she added with a sweet smile.

“Yeah.” Yukio sure hoped not.

“Well, ring the bell if you need anything. Goodnight, Okumura-san.”

“Goodnight.”

After turning the lights back off, the nurse closed the door quietly behind her and the room was immediately returned to the same unpleasant, silent darkness of before.

Yukio closed his eyes, hoping on that sleeping medicine to kick in.

 

* * *

 

*rrrsh-sh-sh*

*rrrrrrrrrrrsh-sh*

Yukio’s consciousness was painfully dragging itself into wakefulness. It was hard to breath, each intake of breath a bout of scratching agony on his whole chest.

*rrrsh-sh-sh*

He could smell apples.

“No more apples, Nii-san.”, he rasped weakly in the general direction of where the sound or apples being peeled was coming from.

“Hehehe. Sorry to disappoint, Sensei. I do think Okumura-kun is still snoring back at the dormitory, though.”

Yukio sat up abruptly, eyes wide open now. He flinched in pain and coughed, wheezing a bit at the agony in his chest.

“Careful there, that looked painful. Perhaps the pain medicine effect is wearing off? Do you want me to call the nurse for you?”

“Sh-Shima. What… What are you doing here?”

Shima put on the expression of an innocent toddler.

“Well, I just went out for my morning jogging and happened to run past the hospital, so I thought I’d take a break and come visit my favourite Sensei!~”, he replied with an ecstatic smile and then, as an afterthought, “You don’t like apples?”

“No, I just…”, Yukio said weakly.

Shima shrugged and took a bite out of the plain apple slices he’d been preparing.

“Yum! You know, they couldn’t find Hachirotaro. Perhaps he hid under some deep buried rock or… perhaps someone else found him before the Order could… who knows? Hehehe.”

The apple aroma was starting to make Yukio feel nauseous. It was awfully early in the morning and he’d had a terrible night. He was also in pain. He really couldn’t handle Shima right now.

“Okumura-kun told us. Two months, huh? Sounds like an eternity. You know… there is an easier way, a faster way. You just have to-…”

“OUT! Get out!!”, Yukio shouted.

Shima raised from his chair, hands raised, palms turned forward, a benign, placating smile on his face.

“Sure thing, dude! No need to get so worked up about that, you’ll upset your stitches.”

“Okumura-san, is everything alright?”, a nurse asked quietly from right outside the bedroom door.

Yukio was seating up and wheezing, vision blurring slightly around the edges. He knew he shouldn’t have had that outburst, this matter had to be handled tactfully… but he was so tired and there was so much pain…

“Everything is fine! I’m just on my way out!~”, Shima replied cheerfully, opening the door and innocently smiling at the nurse that stood there with a suspicious expression on her kind features, “Okumura-sensei is in pain, I think he needs more medicine…!”

“Out, now!”, Yukio wheezed in a calmer, yet commanding tone. He couldn’t play this game right now; he was much too weakened…

“On my way. See yah…~”

And so Shima exited the room, leaving a sour aftertaste on the cloyingly sweet, nauseating apple stench that permeated the room.

“Please, take those out when you leave.”, Yukio politely asked the nurse after dutifully taking his medication.

 

* * *

_Yukio found himself back in Aomori’s white forest and immediately knew he was dreaming._

_He was chasing after a pink-headed boy clad in dark clothes. It felt like they were both jogging in the snow. The boy suddenly stopped his hasty pace and Yukio came to a halt behind him. Judging by the relaxed way the teen glanced back at him, Yukio calculated that he was not chasing **after** the boy but rather chasing something **with** the boy. A sense of mild dread threatened to overcome him, but curiosity easily surpassed it._

_“Are we close… Yamantaka?”, Shima asked his black staff._

_Yukio could not hear the demon’s reply._

_“This way!~”, Shima exclaimed, suddenly jogging down the snow-covered hill. Yukio followed him suit._

_“You were right!! We found him!”_

_Indeed, the little white snake that was now Hachirotaro stood coiled right before them looking tired, weak and terrified._

_“Whew! But that was a nice plan, Sensei!! If you hadn’t told me to summon Yamantaka, we wouldn’t have had a scent to follow_ [ _!!_ ](http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mangareader.net%2Fao-no-exorcist%2F80%2F26&t=YWU5ZTBhM2VlMmQwOTQxOTBjMjU1ZjRhOTZkYTkzZDI3ZTI5OWExNyxncmQ0SjBhWQ%3D%3D) _It would’ve been really hard to find such a tiny snake in such a big forest…!”_

_Yukio opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. The sense of dread was increasing, but curiosity still easily won over. They seemed to be working together… for the Illuminati? Had he done it, then? Had he actually done it??_

_“Alright, slither on, Hachirotaro.”_

_After coaching the little frightened snake inside the transporter, Yamantaka faded completely from the staff and Shima swayed and panted from his squatting position. Yukio reluctantly gave him a hand to help get him back on his feet._

_They resumed moving at a more sedated rhythm from before._

_Shima was ~~whining~~ complaining about how summoning Yamantaka still tired him so much despite his better control of the demon, when, seemingly out of nowhere, Lucifer was standing right before them._

_His face was uncovered, blood dripping from the corners of his eyes, nose and mouth and into his collarbone. But he seemed to be smiling and was looking right into Yukio’s eyes, piercing him like a thin, rusty, bloodied dagger would. It took all Yukio’s willpower to repress his desire to get as far away from the demon as possible._

_After exchanging ridiculously embellished pleasantries with Lucifer, Shima looked at Yukio expectantly. No one moved for a few seconds. Then, Lucifer outstretched his right hand in Yukio’s direction._

_“I want you_ [ _._ ](http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mangapanda.com%2Fao-no-exorcist%2F67%2F15&t=NzgxYThjN2EwYzQ4OWM3MTM1MGEzZDc3YTFhNWMyOTc5MGQ2YjA5ZixncmQ0SjBhWQ%3D%3D) _”, he rasped, a perfect eco of his words to the half-demon in Inari._

_Yukio was expecting panic’s icy grasp around his lungs, but all he felt were the strong fingers of resolve. He stood straighter. This was it._

_“So? How will it be? Will you come over to Lucifer-sama’s side?”, Shima asked, impatient._

_“Yes. I will join the Illuminati.”, Yukio answered with no hesitation._

_Immediately, the scenery changed and Yukio was standing face-to-face to Rin in an unremarkable, white-walled square room. Rin was expressionlessly staring at him, carefully controlled neutral stance, but Yukio could still feel his hurt. So, knowing that this was just a dream, Yukio did what he knew he would never do in the awake world._

_“No, Nii-san. I will not betray you.”_

_Rin searched into his twin’s eyes, then nodded hesitantly. He wanted to believe._

_After all that was still to come, would the Rin in the awake world still want to believe too? Would that Yukio really deserve that much faith?_

_“Please, Nii-san, no matter how difficult, no matter how unlikely, please promise to believe in me to the end.”_

_“I believe in you.”, Rin replied instantly, but Yukio could still see the doubt behind his twin’s candid blue eyes._

_He deserved that doubt._

 

* * *

 

The next time Yukio woke up it was late afternoon. He felt groggy and slightly disoriented. The lamp at the head of the bed was on, but directed away from his face, lighting the manga volume Rin was reading while sitting beside him on the chair.

“Oh, you’re awake. How are you feeling? Do you feel any pain?”, Rin asked softly, looking straight into his twin’s teal-coloured eyes.

“… No.”, Yukio murmured, redirecting his gaze away from the familiar blue and staring at his feet.

In his peripheral vision, he saw Rin’s short hesitation, followed by a curt nod.

“Shiemi and the others came to visit after school, but you were out cold, so they left, but I wanted to see you awake before the day was over… The nurse said you were in pain earlier.”

So kind. Careful. Worried. 

Yukio said nothing.

“Are you hungry?”

“No apples, please.”

Rin blinked, then frowned comically.

“O-okay… Er… but I meant dinner. Do you want to have dinner together?”

Yukio didn’t reply.

After a few silent seconds, Rin closed his book and deposited it beside the TV. He raised to his feet.

No anger in his movements. But Yukio could feel his hurt.

“The doctor said that you’ll start your physiotherapy sessions in two weeks and that you’ll be out of the hospital in about three weeks, then keep on with the physiotherapy until recovery.”, Rin stated calmly.

Still no reply from Yukio.

“I brought your pyjamas and some manga to pass the time. Do you need anything else?”

So patient.

 _Too bad, huh?_ _If Okumura had stabbed Hachiro a little later… you would have had Hachirotaro’s immortality and power_[ _!_](http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mangareader.net%2Fao-no-exorcist%2F80%2F15&t=MDZiNzFlNjEwNTAwYzE4N2E5NzNmMzljM2M2ZDgxZGZhOTQ5MjliYixncmQ0SjBhWQ%3D%3D), Shima’s words reverberated softly in the empty eco of Rin’s guileless kindness.

Two months.

Painstakingly, Yukio forced his own brain gears into objective logic mode. _No. This isn’t Nii-san’s fault._ , he thought firmly.

“No, there is nothing else I need. Thank you, Nii-san.”, Yukio replied, with a short, but sincere smile.

The blue-eyed teen easily mirrored his brother’s smile, then nodded again, once, and turned to leave.

Yukio felt his chest constrict painfully, but not due to physical injury. _No, that isn’t right, I don’t want you gone. I will never want you gone._

“Nii-san, wait. I want to have dinner together, please.”, he said in one breath, immediately feeling like a big weight had lifted from his chest.

Rin immediately turned a radiant smile at him.

“Why didn’t you say so sooner?”, he sounded so happy that Yukio almost felt like asking him about his homework just to take that stupid smile off his face, but controlled himself, “I was hoping to have dinner together!! Sit down for a meal together every day like… before. Nowadays, you almost never have the time to do it, so this is our chance, right?”

He sounded so hopeful.

_Hey, maybe it’s a **good**  thing. You’ve been awfully busy lately. Consider this a break… and get some rest. And when you feel better… you can go back to your training or strength tests or whatever_ [ _._ ](http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mangareader.net%2Fao-no-exorcist%2F80%2F21&t=ODY1OWVhYzc4NGQ4MTdjODMyMDQ3MDU4ODIzNTVmNjcwMzUwZWQwNixncmQ0SjBhWQ%3D%3D)

“Yeah.”, Yukio agreed, sincerely this time.

Rin was looking at him with a big smile still on his face. After a few seconds, Yukio couldn’t help but smile back.

_I hate you, Nii-san, I hate you so much_ [ _._ ](http://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mangapanda.com%2Fao-no-exorcist%2F29%2F21&t=MTgzMGIzODE5NTA4MGE2MDU4Nzc5NTg5OTRkOGNhNmYwMTg3Yzk2ZCxncmQ0SjBhWQ%3D%3D) _But I love you more. I don’t want you gone. That is why I will get stronger. That’s why I’ll do everything to surpass you. But I will not betray myself and I will not betray you. I didn’t plan on this setback, but I might be able to use it in my favour. Just sit, Nii-san. Sit and watch._

Two months.


End file.
